For a long time, carbohydrates were seen as villains of a healthy eating. However, macronutrient is essential to provide energy for daily activities. Now, a new study has shown that the consumption of High quality carbohydrates In middle age may be related to healthy aging.
Published on May 16 in the newspaper Jama Network Openthe work showed that eating food fibers, total and high quality carbohydrates has brought health benefits in older women. The research was conducted by researchers at the Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University and Harvard’s Th Chan School of Public Health.
“We have all heard that different carbohydrates can affect health in different ways, whether in terms of weight, energy or blood sugar levels. But instead of analyzing only the immediate effects of these macronutrients, we wanted to understand what they could mean for good health 30 years later,” explains Andres Arisson Korat, the study’s main author, in a statement. “Our findings suggest that carbohydrate quality can be an important factor for healthy aging.”
For the study, the researchers analyzed data from numbers’ Health Study numbers collected every four years between 1984 and 2016 to examine the middle of middle age and the health of over 47,000 women who were between 70 and 93 years in 2016.
The intake of total carbohydrates (which include starches, fibers and sugars), refined carbohydrates (those industrialized, such as sugar, cakes, cookies, snacks, among others), high quality carbohydrates (such as whole grains, tubers, fruits, vegetables and legumes), food fiber and the food glycemic index and the glycemic load were derived from the glycemic load validated food frequency questionnaires.
Finally, the researchers defined healthy aging such as the absence of 11 important chronic diseases, lack of cognitive impairment and physical function and good mental health, as self -remedy in the numbers’ health Study numbers. In the new study, 3,706 participants complied with the definition of healthy aging.
High Quality Carbohydrates X Refined Carbohydrates
The analysis showed that the intake of total carbohydrates, high quality carbohydrates of whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes, and total food fibers was associated with a probability of 6 to 37% larger healthy aging and various areas of positive mental and physical health.
On the other hand, ingestion of starch -rich refined carbohydrates was associated with a 13% lower probability of healthy aging.
“Our results are consistent with other evidence that relates the consumption of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes with lower risks of chronic diseases, and now we see the association with results of physical and cognitive function,” says Qi Sun, associate professor at Harvard Chan School’s nutrition and epidemiology departments in a statement.
Despite the findings, the study has limitations, such as the fact that participants are mostly white health professionals. Therefore, future research is needed to replicate these findings with more diverse audiences.
In addition, additional work is needed to understand the potential mechanisms that connect high quality food fibers and carbohydrates to healthy aging.
“Studies are starting to find an association between middle-aged food choices and quality of life in old age. The more we understand healthy aging, the more science can help people live healthier longer,” added Arisson Korat.
This content was originally published in eating a type of carbohydrate can help live more; See which on the CNN Brazil website.
Source: CNN Brasil

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